When writing a scientific lab report, step-by-step procedural details are very important! In computer science, step-by-step instructions are not just important, they are essential to getting a program to run effectively. Today, students are beginning an Introductory Computer Science course in coding. Coding helps exercise procedural thinking and problem solving skills. My plan is to have a coding exercise most Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Students will begin with CodeCombat. CodeCombat is a platform to learn computer science while playing through a real game. Gaming is a medium that encourages interaction, discovery, and trial-and-error. A good game challenges the player to master skills over time, which is the same critical process students go through as they learn.Games excel at rewarding “productive struggle” -the kind of struggle that results in learning that’s engaging and motivating, not tedious. When game-based learning systems are compared against conventional assessment methods, the difference is clear: games are better at helping students retain knowledge, concentrate and perform at a higher level of achievement.Games also provide real-time feedback that allows students to adjust their solution path and understand concepts more holistically, instead of being limited to just “correct” or “incorrect” answers.

CodeCombat is a game that gives players confidence with robust typed code, which helps beginner and advanced students alike write proper, valid code.